Christmas Wonders
by XoXKeii-chanXoX
Summary: Haru's mother hasn't been home due to a business meeting in America, which leaves Haru at home right before Christmas. Who will keep her company while her mother is off on a business trip? Bad sum. BaronXHaru Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey! Considering I just joined FanFiction, I haven't written a Christmas FanFic yet. So, here's one made just for BaronXHaru. Hope you enjoy! Could be a OneShot. Depends on how much I can write on this. Ok, enough of my rambling! Here's "Christmas Wonders"**_

_**Disclaimer: Studio Ghibli owns The Cat Returns**_

* * *

><p>"What?" Hiromi exclaimed. "What do you mean you're not going?" We've been on the phone for about an hour discussing the Christmas Talent Show that's held in the park every year for Christmas. She's been talking about it all week, considering it's in about a week, completely convinced that I was planning on going; I tried to persuade her otherwise.<p>

"Hiromi, it's just not my thing. Plus, it's too cold…" I objected. "Why not go with Tsuge?" I suggested.

"He has a tournament next week and needs his rest. He said he didn't have time for a talent show…" She replied, sadness in her voice. "You wouldn't have to do anything. Just come with me! I've been looking forward to this all week!" She went on and on about how she would really appreciate it, how she would repay me later, and other sorts of repayments. Each time, however, I politely turned her down. I knew she wouldn't be happy, but I just wasn't into going to public events such as this.

"I'm sorry, Hiromi…" I said. "I just don't enjoy these kinds of events anymore. You go enjoy yourself!" I tried to sound as cheerful as possible to lighten the mood. "I promise that I'll make it up to you somehow." I apologized about four more times before Hiromi finally accepted it. We talked for a while longer before Hiromi had to go get ready for a meeting with Tsuge. I apologized one more time before hanging up. I felt pretty bad about not accompanying her. I just don't enjoy those events anymore.

"Maybe Mom will be able to make a quick call…" I thought out loud. Upon saying this, I picked the phone up again. I dialed the number she had left for me to contact her. Upon finally finishing her quilt pattern, she had a job meeting in America to discuss selling and reproducing her patterns. She was finally moving on in her life…which is more than I can say for myself. I listened for her to pick up on the other end, but unfortunately there was no answer. I reluctantly placed the phone back on the receiver.

"December 15th, and she's still not able to speak…What are they doing over there?" I thought out loud. I mentally scolded myself for speaking to myself. I've been doing that a lot lately considering mom hasn't been at home. I decided to put my mind off it and do some homework that I had left over from break.

An hour or two went by, when I finally realized what time it actually was. The clock read about 11:30, and my eyes felt like sandpaper from staring at quadratic equations all night. I placed my homework back in my schoolbag neatly, shut all the lights and appliances off, and went upstairs to get ready for bed.

When I laid down in my bed, I let my mind wander throughout all my memories and thoughts of previous events in my life. _"I wonder what Baron is up to right now…" _I found myself saying in my mind. "Knowing him, he's probably sitting with a cup of his own special blend of tea, listening to Muta and Toto with their usual antics." I thought out loud. "Oh, Baron…How I miss seeing you…" I again scolded myself for talking to myself again. "Ok…go to sleep Haru…you know it's never going to happen…" I reached over, shut my bedside light off, and tucked those thoughts back into the back of my mind, allowing sleep to take me over.

* * *

><p>The familiar sound of my cow-shaped alarm clock shrieked loudly as it shocked me awake the next morning. I reached over reluctantly, shut it off, and rolled back over, trying to block out the offensive rays of light from the sun. When I couldn't get comfortable again, I rolled out of bed, groggily threw an outfit on for the day, and went downstairs to start a cup of tea. When I was sitting down at the table, my cup of tea in hand, I went over my agenda for the day out loud.<p>

"Go to the store to get groceries, meet Hiromi for some coffee at our favorite café, then the rest of the day is pretty much empty…" I thought about what I could do for the rest of the day. Lately, my afternoons consisted of sitting around the house, watching the snow fall, waiting for mother to come home from her business meeting in America. I sighed deeply, before finishing my cup of tea, getting my coat and winter attire on, and heading out to the grocery store.

"Brr…" I quietly sounded. "It's freezing out this morning…" My breath forming in the air with each word. I continued down the street to the store, quickening my pace. "At least the café will be buzzing, which means the coffee will be fresh." I thought out loud.

When I finished my grocery shopping, I took them back home, put them all away, and went back on my way to the café I was to meet Hiromi at. I noticed I was a little early, so I decided to get us a table by the window. I sat down, placed my jacket and other winter attire over my chair, and waited for Hiromi to arrive. It wasn't until about 15 minutes later that she finally showed up. She came in, flustered with the fact that she had just ran straight from home to the café to make it in time.

"Sorry I'm late, Haru!" She said. "I overslept…" She lowered her head in embarrassment. I chuckled at her behavior.

"It's fine Hiromi. I don't have anything else going on today." I replied. She settled down upon hearing this, and sat down at the table I had reserved for us. I ended up getting a cappuccino, whilst she got a white hot chocolate. We sat and talked for a while, bringing up all sorts of topics.

"So, your mom hasn't made it home yet?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No, she also hasn't picked up since she left." I replied with a frown. "I'm starting to get a little worried." Hiromi's face was stricken with concern.

"Haru, I'm sure she's fine. It's probably just taking a while for the business to make arrangements for production." She reassured me. I smiled softly at her, before nodding.

"You're probably right, Hiromi." I said. We sat for a while longer, talking about this and that. We sat there for about an hour, before Hiromi said she had to get home before her mom started wondering where she was. I agreed, before saying goodbye and going our separate ways. I was walking, and noticed where I had come to; the Crossroads. I looked around, noticing that there weren't many people around. Then, I looked over to the dining tables that were conveniently placed outside the little café, noticing a big, white ball of fur on one of the chairs. I grinned widely, before quickly making my way over to the ball of fur. I snuck up quietly, before poking the giant feline gently. He lifted his head to glare at me, obviously annoyed with me. I giggled at his expression.

"Hey, Fatso." I said with a grin. He just glared at me a bit. "Oh, don't look so cross. I just wanted to see how you were. And the Bureau, how is everyone at the Bureau?" The cat just looked at me before saying,

"You want to just come find out yourself?" The sudden question startled me a bit, but I hesitantly nodded. Upon seeing this, the cat jumped off the chair and ran in the direction I knew all too well. We made our way back through the many ally ways, making sure to be a bit lighter on my feet whilst climbing over the roof tops as to not alert any of the residents in the houses. When we made it to the white arch, I stopped for a moment, noticing myself feeling a bit strange. I suddenly noticed that things seemed to be getting larger.

"Um…Muta?" I managed to say. He turned around upon hearing this. He had to do a double-take upon seeing me. He stood there staring at my now shrunken body.

"Well…didn't see that one coming…" He managed to squeak out.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, good start! I like where this one is going. Gimme your thoughts. R&amp;R, Comment, and criticize.<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey y'all! Sorry for not updating lately. This past weekend has been hectic beyond comparison. Sunday was Concert Band District Auditions, which I proudly made after months of hard work! So now, all that's left the distract me is play rehearsals and other such related events. Happily, I am able to write during these while backstage. So I should be able to update almost every night. Hope to see more reviews after this chapter! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Cat Returns. All wrights go to Studio Ghibli.**_

* * *

><p>I stared around me, taking in my now larger surroundings piece by piece. Muta, still stiff as a board, was also staring at my shrunken self. We stayed like that for some time, before I smiled and said,<p>

"What do you expect? Christmas magic is truly a wonder!" I finished with a smirk. Muta was also smiling at this point. Just then, the now setting sun lowered to the perfect position, casting beams of light that reflected off the many windows of the houses in the bureau. The lights' beams rested upon the very house that had lured me here this evening. I shielded my eyes from the blinding light that resonated before me. When the light softened, I watched as the suited cat figurine stepped stoically out the doors to the bureau. He smiled when he saw me, but a bit of concern showed on his face when he noticed my size.

"Haru, it's nice to see you again." He said. "But what happened to your body? How did you become so small?" I smiled and simply replied,

"Think of it as Christmas Magic." He smiled and turned to Muta who was now in his usual spot on the chair outside the Bureau. I chuckled at him before turning back to Baron. "So how've you all been?" I asked.

"Fairly well." he replied. "And you? How is your mother doing?"

"Well, she had a business meeting in America for her quilt patterns. She said she'd be back before Christmas. But when I tried multiple times to call her, she never picked up" I lowered my head upon saying this, but perked back up. "But I'm sure she's just busy and doesn't have any time to speak to me." I tried to force a smile to lighten the mood. Baron only looked at me, concern written all over his face. I decided to change the subject. "So, Baron, do you have any special plans for Christmas?" He smiled.

"I just enjoy spending a lovely evening at home with a few cups of tea and a roaring fire, staring at at the snow." He replied.

"Do you have any special traditions?" I asked.

"Well, I suppose each year I always pride myself in searching for the Christmas Star. It shines brightest only at the stroke of Midnight on Christmas Eve." He smiled before stating, "Although, I've never spent the cherishing moment with anyone but myself." I turned my head away to hide the blush that was now forming on my face. I heard him chuckle behind me. "And you, Haru? There must be something you and your family do every year that you cherish." I smiled softly.

"Oh yes. But, considering it's usually only my mother and myself, we go through our family photo albums of Christmases past, pick out the best one, and take it to my father's grave. Along with that, we place a piece of fruit cake and a poem written by myself." I smiled sadly. "However, each year some neighborhood punks go around sabotaging all the graves. Last year, we found the fruitcake gone, and my poem and picture torn up into pieces around the grave. We were both heartbroken, but found the culprits eventually. I don't think we're putting anything out this year. Too much of a risk. Instead, we'll make a mini-shrine in his honor in the house." Baron looked at me sadly. I smiled at him. "Don't worry, Baron. Things are going very well otherwise. The house is decorated nicely, most of my Christmas shopping is done, and mom will be home in time for Christmas!" I said this all with as much enthusiasm as I could. In truth, I was very exhausted. Waiting up at night for mom to call back and all the running I've done these past few days took a lot out of me.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Baron asked. I perked up at this. Not tasting Baron's tea for a while had me eager to have some. I nodded my head excitedly, which upon seeing this, he led me inside. Muta followed, plopping himself down on a nearby couch. I took my seat in the chair across from the couch, waiting for Baron to come back with the tea. When he came back, he handed me my tea, and took his own seat in the corresponding chair next to my own. I sniffed the sweet aroma of the tea that was before me. I slowly lifted the cup of tea to my face, taking my time to savor the sip. My mouth tingled with flavor.

"Delicious!" I exclaimed. Baron smiled widely, before taking a sip of his own. We sat for a while talking about this and that.

I was sitting in the chair listening to Muta go on about his fancies of fruitcake and what other foods he enjoyed during Christmas time. I felt myself slowly lulling off to sleep, exhausted beyond compare. Baron had noticed this and went to say something when my cell phone started to chime. It was a Japanese version of the American Christmas carol 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas.' I snapped up, reached in my pocket, and read the caller ID out loud.

"Hiromi…" I said, a bit of disappointment in my voice. "I'm sorry, Baron. I'll have to take this." He nodded as I stepped outside to answer. "Hello?" I said.

"Haru! Where are you? Are you ok?" The flustered Hiromi continued asking similar questions. Finally, I interjected, not being able to take anymore of her rambling.

"HIROMI!" I exclaimed. Baron must've overheard, because he leaned to see out the window. I walked out of sight before continuing. "Hiromi, I'm fine. What's wrong?"

"They say that America's got a major snowstorm heading directly towards them! I just read it on the news!" She said. She sounded just as scared as I was. I went completely silent. "Haru? Haru! Are you there?" I snapped back from my thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm here…" I said, my voice trailing off as I did so. "Look, I need to go." I said, hanging up before she got a chance to reply. I stood out in the courtyard, reflecting back on what I had just heard. I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of the bureau doors opening. I just stayed where I was, rubbing my arms to keep warm.

"Haru?" I heard Baron say. "Is everything alright?" He sounded concerned. I didn't want them to worry, so I put on a forced smile and turned to look at him.

"Yeah! Everything's fine! It's getting late. I should go home. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Baron. It was great to see you again." I said. He frowned but didn't question the matter any further. He took my hand in his and kissed it lightly.

"Have a wonderful night." He said with a smile. I forced one of my own, suddenly feeling my eyes well up with tears. I whipped around quickly and ran straight for the arch, feeling myself grow in size as I did so. I ran all the way home, not looking back once.

I got to my house in a matter of minutes. I got inside, slamming the door behind me, and went straight upstairs. I jumped right into my bed and cried myself to sleep, lost in thought as to what could happen in the course of this next week. Back in the bureau, my companions were deep in thought.

"Did she seem…different to you at all, Baron?" Muta asked. Baron nodded in agreement.

"She did look rather pale. Also a bit unfocused. I'm sure she has her reasons. We won't question unless she brings it up." He frowned as he stared out the window. He shut off all the lights in the Bureau, said good night to Muta, and retired for the night as well.

* * *

><p>The next day came fast. I got up and lazily started my daily routine. I got a cup of tea, had my breakfast, and threw my winter attire on before heading out to meet Hiromi at our usual café. Once again, we spoke about this and that, talking about our plans for the holiday and if we had our woods for break finished yet.<p>

"So, where were you last night?" Hiromi asked. "I called the house, but no one answered. Out running errands again?" She finished with a smirk. I chuckled at her comment.

"It's a little hard to explain." I replied with a smile. Hiromi looked at me, a bit confused. Then, out of nowhere, a huge grin spread across her face. "What?" I asked.

"Oooo! Was it a certain friend's house? A _Male_ friend, perhaps?" Her grin got wider with each question. I blushed at the thought but quickly shook my head back to reality. But she had already caught a glimpse of the blush that had just left my face. "Eeeeee!" She squealed with joy, which acquired awkward looks from other customers in the café. "I'm so happy for you!" She strangled me with neck-breaking and choke-holding hugs.

"Hiromi!" I exclaimed over her rants of excitement. "Calm down! It's not like that…" My voice trailed off again as I was thrown back into my thoughts. She still had that stupid grin on her face.

"So? Who is it?" She asked. "Is he handsome?" I thought long and hard about it.

"_Would it be so terrible if my best friend knew…?" _I thought to myself. "Well…" I started. "Promise not to tell anyone?" She nodded furiously, eager to know the mystery person. I beckoned for her to follow me. She complied as we made our way out of the café and in the direction of the maze of ally ways.

"Where are we going, Haru? I thought you were going to tell me your boyfriend's name?" She exclaimed.

"First of all, he's not my boyfriend." I stated as we got to the escalating rooftops. "He's just a friend…who I think I have a small crush on. Second of all, you wouldn't believe me if I told you, so you'll have to see for yourself." She stayed silent the rest of the way. When we reached the arch-way, she gasped in awe.

"Haru! This courtyard is so adorable!" She exclaimed. I smirk.

"It seems small _now._" I mused. She looked at me, obviously confused. I chuckled before leading her though the white arch-way. I felt our bodies shrink immediately. I overheard Hiromi gasp in astonishment next to me. When it was all finished, I turned to her; she was now frozen where she stood. I chuckled again. "Come on." I said, before taking her by the arm and leading her to the Bureau doors. She seemed to snap back when I did this. I knocked lightly on the door. When I heard footsteps, I quickly turned to Hiromi. "Now, when he steps into the doorway, please don't freak out." She cocked her head to the side.

"Why would I freak out…" Her voice trailed off as the door opened, and the cat figurine stood in the doorway, smiling widely.

"Haru. How are you this morning? And who is your fetching friend here?" He said with a smile. At least he didn't mind that I brought a friend with to the Bureau. She was speechless. He chuckled. "Would you both like a cup of tea? It's freshly made." I nodded, while Hiromi just stood there staring at me. I grinned.

"I told you, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." I said this with a smirk. She calmed down a bit and was less tense upon hearing this.

"That you did, Haru. That you did." She said with an exasperated smile. We went inside and enjoyed the company of Baron and his tea, explaining what had happened those few months back when I was at the Cat Kingdom to Hiromi. She seemed fairly interested. We spent most of the day there, talking and chatting about various topics. Finally, it was getting late, and we both decided to go home. Hiromi had left right away, while I said I would catch up. She walked out through the arch-way, changing back to her original size as she did so. I turned back to Baron.

"So, you're not angry that I brought a friend here?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow before stating,

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine."

"Hey, Baron!" We heard Hiromi call. "You should ask Haru to the Winter Formal this week! It's held in the park! There's gonna be a talent show and everything!" I blushed a bit.

"Hiromi! No! I told you I didn't want to go!" I yelled back. Baron, however, seemed very interested.

"Winter Formal, you say? Sounds intriguing." He said. I flushed a deep red.

"Y-yeah…they hold it every year in the park. I don't normally go, though, since I don't enjoy those types of things, let alone even having a date to go with." I said. Baron smiled at me, before bowing before me, taking my hand in his.

"Then in that case, would you, Haru, like to accompany me to this year's Winter Formal?" He said. I blushed even harder, if possible before replying,

"Ah! Um…well…Sure." I smiled lightly. He looked up, smiling as well.

"Very well. When is it? I shall pick you up." He asked. I told him the date and time, before running off to catch up to Hiromi. I waved as I left, and receiving a stoic wave from Baron. Now, my next job is to kill Hiromi for doing this to me.

"Hiromi!" I exclaimed as I chased her all the way home.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thar ya go! Hope you liked! Like I said, I write these things during play rehearsals. So I'm not sure how well I'm doing. Need more reviews! R&amp;R, comment, and criticize, please! Love you all! Ciao! ^_^<strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey guys! Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving! Had a pretty good one myself! Hope you've enjoyed the story so far!**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I do not own The Cat Returns. Studio Ghibli has the honor of owning it.**_

* * *

><p>The next few days were as exhausting as the previous few. I succumbed to Hiromi dragging me from store to store, trying to pick out the perfect outfit of the Winter Formal…which, I am not so proud to say, is in about 2 days. It is the day before Christmas Eve, and afterward, I'm not sure what I'll do then. All depends on what happens that night. Finally, Hiromi found a store that sells dresses and other formal-wear for formal events all year round, corresponding to the season at that time. I finally convinced her to let me do the shopping, since the previous stores she drug me to, she ended up doing most of the suggesting and choosing; most of which were a little TOO revealing for my taste.<p>

"Hiromi, why don't you go check out some stuff for yourself. You need a dress as well." I suggested. She grinned.

"That's ok. I already have my dress! But I see your point. It is much better to make decisions yourself on these sort of events. I'll leave you to your shopping then!" She said this, and skipped off to another section of the store. I sighed in relief, as I scanned the various racks of dresses and outfits. I went through the different styles of sweater-dresses, to dress pants and nice shirts, but none of them seemed to fit my judgment. Finally, just as I was getting to the point of abandoning the idea, I noticed a small, blue dress hanging on one of the racks. I walked over to it to get a better look. It was a light blue color, sporting a bit of sparkles, long sleeves and white, fluffy trim around the collar and cuffs of the sleeves. It was a thick, sweater-like material, and only went down to about mid-thigh; but it looked as though it came with a pair of pure, white leggings. I smiled as I took it down from the rack. I looked around a bit more, and found a pair of high, white-colored boots, with lots of fur around the trim. When I had gathered all the items together, I went to the changing room to try it all on. When I emerged from the changing room, I looked at my appearance in the mirror.

"Hm…not bad, Haru…" I thought out loud. Just then, I heard an obnoxious gasp come from behind me. I jumped a bit at the sound, but calmed down entirely, noticing it was just Hiromi.

"Haru! You look absolutely gorgeous!" She exclaimed, gawking at my appearance. "You DEFFINATELY have to get that one! Baron will love it!" She finished. I blushed a bit at the thought about Baron and HIS opinion on the dress.

"You think?" I said. I nodded and went back into the changing room to remove the outfit to pay for it. When I went up to the counter to pay for it, the cashier looked at me a little oddly, before stating,

"Wow…this is interesting, Miss…" She started. "No one has ever bought this dress. It's the only one in stock, and has always been. It's a beautiful dress, but no one has ever been able to fit into it until now." My eyes widened at this statement. She finished totaling up the items. Along with the dress and boots, I had bought a pair of silver hoops, and a simple necklace to match. It all came up a bit more than I had imagined. But, for this event, I was starting to believe it was worth it. I paid her the money, before taking my dress in hand and walking back home.

"Haru, you will look STUNNING on Saturday night!" Hiromi stated on our way to my house. I didn't say anything, and kept an expressionless face on as I continued walking. "Haru?" I smiled sadly.

"I just wish mom can see me now. She'd be stunned as well…" I said, my voice trailing off a bit. Hiromi frowned sadly, before placing an arm around me as we neared my house.

"You sure you don't want me to stay a while? I can if you want." She asked. I shook my head.

"No. Your mom will be worried sick if you don't get home soon. Just go on home. I'll see you on Saturday." I replied. She cocked her head to the side.

"So, no meeting tomorrow at the Café?" She asked. I shook my head.

"I have stuff to do tomorrow. Still need to do a bit of Christmas Shopping for the Bureau." She nodded before turning to leave for home. I watched her round the corner, before turning to go back inside. When I got inside, I noticed what time it was. "Only 9, huh? I can stay up for a bit and think of what I'm gonna get the guys…" I went upstairs, hung my dress on the back of my door, and contemplated the various gifts I could get for Muta, Toto, and of course, Baron. I sat there for a good 2 hours, not getting very far. So, I decided to sleep on it a bit, and maybe it would come to me in my sleep. "Great, Haru…3 days until Christmas Eve, and you can't even find a decent gift for your closest friends…" I mentally slapped myself, changed into my pajamas, and went to bed, sleep finding me quite fast.

* * *

><p>The next day, I was up and out of the house quickly. I wanted to be able to find some gifts for the guys at the Bureau. I went to the only store I could think of that had practically ANYTHING in stock. I decided to start with Toto.<p>

"Hm…what _does_ Toto like…?" I thought out loud. "To be completely honest, I haven't spoken to him that much to know what he likes…" Then it hit me. "Mulberries! He loves mulberries! And, I have just the idea…" I ended up searching for a pattern to make a scarf for my dear crow friend. It was a pattern that had a few mulberries imprinted on it. "Now for Muta…" I thought long and hard about his gift. "I could probably just take the easy way out and make him his own angel food cake…but what's the fun in that?" I grinned at this statement and continued looking. Finally, I settled for buying him a collar with a fish pendant hanging down from it. I figured he would like it; even for Muta. I spent the next hour or so doing laps around the store, searching for the perfect gift for Baron. Finally, I stopped in the last aisle of the store. I went about halfway up the aisle, and stopped dead in my tracks. I grinned ear-to-ear at what I had found. "It's perfect…" Was all I managed to say. I purchased the gifts, spending less than expected, and went home to wrap many hours of deliberation on the subject, I finally had the three gifts sitting in front of me, wrapped and ready for Christmas Day. I smiled proudly at my work, looking up at the clock. It read 2 o'clock.

"Wow…really? I thought it was much later than that…" I said. "What am I going to do for the rest of the day…?" I thought long and hard about the subject, and decided to go visit Hiromi, despite what I said yesterday about being busy.

I walked all the way to her house, trudging in the cold snow. I walked up to her door, knocked lightly, and waited for the door to open…nothing.

"Huh…she must be out with family or something…" I thought out loud. "Too bad…" I said with a frown. Then, I snapped back up. "Hiromi's present! I completely forgot!" I ran back home immediately. I had something special in mind for Hiromi this year for Christmas. When I got home, I rummaged underneath my bed and pulled out a large photo album. I opened it up, taking in the many photos that were before me. I gathered all the photos from all the years I've known Hiromi, and compiled them all into a scrapbook. I knew she would love it. I set the book of photos carefully on my bed, and looked through my craft stuff for some ribbon. I found some green ribbon left over from making the bows on top of the guys' presents. I used that to wrap around the scrapbook. Just then, the phone rang. I rushed over to answer it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Haru? I was returning with my parents from shopping when I noticed you darting away from our house. Everything alright?" She asked. I didn't want her to catch onto anything, so I improvised.

"Yeah! Everything's fine! I just forgot there was something I needed to take care of right away. It was really urgent that I got it done." I hated to lie, but this was a special occasion. I grinned to myself as I waited for her reply.

"Oh, ok. Well, I'm home now. What did you want?" She asked. I told her I just wanted to hang out for the rest of the day, seeing as I had finished my shopping a bit earlier than expected. She said she would meet me at our usual café in a few minutes, and we hung up. I spent the rest of the day with Hiromi, joking and acting completely merry for the holiday season. Soon, night came, and we were all back in bed just as quickly as we had gotten up for the day. The next night was what I was looking forward to the entire week…but I wouldn't let Hiromi nor Baron know that. I chuckled as I went to sleep quickly.

* * *

><p>The next day, I gathered up the gifts, grabbed my outfit for the night, and headed over to Hiromi's to get ready. When I got there, she gawked at the amount of presents I had in my hands. I chuckled.<p>

"They're not all for you." I said as I grinned. "But, there is one in here for you. You'll just have to wait until Christmas to see it though." I finished with a wink. She huffed when I said this, but complied, as it is the rule. When it was nearing around the time of the formal, we decided to go to the Bureau to drop the presents off. It's easier than leaving them at Hiromi's. I had packed a bag of spare clothes just in case I needed to stay at either Hiromi's or the Bureau. When we got there, Hiromi was already dressed. I decided to get changed at the Bureau, just for more effect. We passed through the arch-way, allowing our bodies and items to shrink, and continued to the Bureau doors. I knocked on the doors lightly, waiting for Baron to open the door. The sound of arguing could be heard from inside, but when I knocked, it stopped immediately. Suddenly, the door opened, and Baron stood in the doorway. He smiled at both of us.

"Well, hello ladies. You look ravishing tonight, Hiromi. Haru? Are you not dressing up?" He asked. I smiled before replying,

"I was hoping I could just change here. I had to lug these bags of presents here, it would have been awkward in the dress I picked out." He nodded, allowed me to pass through the doors, and watched as I went into another room to change. I did my hair and makeup as well. When I was done, my hair was up in a bun, with a couple strands hanging down, and I had a light blue eye shadow on. It was simple, and I knew Baron would like it. When I emerged, everyone in the Bureau stopped what they were doing to take a good, long look at me. I blushed a bit.

"Haru…" Baron started. "You look absolutely stunning." He finished with the most handsome smile I've ever seen. My heart melted when he did so. I smiled.

"Thank you, Baron." I said.

"Yeah, Chicky. It's nice to see you in something other than that school uniform." Muta mused. I chuckled.

"You look lovely, Haru." Toto chimed in. I smiled up at him, suddenly feeling my shoulders drop, the tension loosening in them.

"Well, we shouldn't waste any time. Haru?" Baron said, holding out his arm for me to take it. I smiled, lightly wrapping my arm in his. He led me out into the courtyard, followed by Hiromi. "We'll be back later, Muta." He called back as we left. When we crossed the courtyard, we came up to the arch-way. I stopped.

"Wait, Baron." I said. He paused. "Just because we change size, doesn't mean that you will too. What if you don't?" He just smiled.

"There's only one way to find out." He simply said, before continuing. We passed underneath the arch-way, feeling our bodies grow in size once again. I had shut my eyes before-hand, and tensed up. When everything was done, I slowly opened my eyes to find Baron standing right next to me, now much larger than his original form. I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding when I saw this. He nodded, and we all continued on to the park. Tonight was going to be great. I knew it!

* * *

><p><em><strong>There ya go! Sorry, I know that not much happened in this chapter, but the next chapter should be better, and also should be the last. I know it's not very long, but I was just testing to see how well I can write a Christmas Fic. Hope you guys enjoyed so far! Next chapter should be the last, as I said. R&amp;R, Comment, and Criticize! Love you all! Ciao! ^_^<strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey! Soooooo sorry I haven't updated lately. Exhaustion has really been an issue due to play rehearsal and such. And, also, a lot of you have mentioned in the reviews things such as "You forgot to mention that Baron is human now." or "Isn't Baron a human when he changes size?" and other various related statements and questions. I just want to point out, that he is NOT human. I wanted him to stay his cat figurine form for this event. It will be to the peoples' knowledge that it is just an outfit for the event. I know it's a bit odd, but I don't like the idea of him turning human. So, just another FYI…this will sadly NOT be the last chapter. I realized that I wrote too much to make this into just one chapter. So there will definitely be only one more chapter after this. So sorry for the confusion, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**_

_**Disclaimer: As always, I do not own Cat Returns, or the lyrics in this chapter to "Where Are You Christmas?" Enjoy!**_

* * *

><p>It didn't take us long to get to the park. Despite the few awkward looks towards Baron, he fit right in. The people filed in quickly, crowding the area. Hiromi went off on her own soon after we arrived to go look for more of our classmates, leaving Baron and I alone.<p>

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Baron asked. I looked over at him and smiled.

"Of course!" I replied. He smiled as a sound emitted from the pavilion in the center of the park. We made our way over to the pavilion, meeting Hiromi on the way. "Hiromi, what's going on?" I asked her.

"It's time for the talent show!" She exclaimed, her eyes beaming. I chuckled as we took a seat on one of the benches to watch said talent show. There were various acts that were quite intriguing; such as a few acrobatic acts, dancing performances, and other various talents. In the middle of one of the acts, a man came up beside the bench we were sitting on.

"Excuse me, miss." He started. I looked at him. He seemed like he had been rushing around all night.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I replied."I hope you can." He said. "We're missing an act. They never arrived this evening to report to the talent show. We've never missed a performance yet, and we really don't want to start tonight. Will you _please_ fill in in for them?" He seemed desperate. I just stared at him blankly.

"Ah! Um…I'm sorry but, you don't want me to sing! I'm terrible!" I stated.

"I'm sure you're wonderful!" he persisted. "We would be eternally grateful, Miss!"

"I'm sorry, sir. But, I'm just not good with doing this in front of people." I said.

"You were quite willing to dance with me in front of everyone at the castle." Baron chimed in with a smirk.

"Yes, but that was different!" I objected.

"I fail to see how." he retorted. He leaned closer to me and placed his hand on mine. "Just keep your eyes on me" He said with a soft smile. I thought long and hard before nodding at the man in agreement. He led me back behind the pavilion. He showed me what I was to sing.

"Alright, Miss…?" he started.

"Haru. Haru Yoshioka." I said with a smile. He blushed a bit before clearing his throat.

"Miss Haru, are you ready?" He asked. I nodded nervously. "That boyfriend of yours is quite lucky to have such a lovely girl like you." He finished with a wink. I blushed at the compliment as he ran out to announce my act. I took a deep breath.

"Alright, Haru…" I said to myself. "You can do this. Just keep your eyes on Baron."

"And now, for the final act of the night: Miss Haru Yoshioka!" The man announced. I slowly, but confidently made my way onto the stage. I took the microphone in hand that was provided, as the intro to "Where Are You Christmas?" emitted from the large sound system. I took a deep breath and…

**_Where are you Christmas  
><em>_Why can't I find you  
><em>_Why have you gone away  
>Where is the laughter<br>You used to bring me  
>Why can't I hear music play <em>**

I could feel my body shaking, and looked around, scanning the audience for Baron.

**_My world is changing  
>I'm rearranging<br>Does that mean Christmas changes too_**

I found Hiromi within the audience, her eyes beaming at me, I smiled, my voice getting a bit more confident.

_**Where are you Christmas  
>Do you remember<br>The one you used to know  
>I'm not the same one<br>See what the time's done  
>Is that why you have let me go<strong>_

I found Baron, who was staring at me in awe. He smiled at me, nodded, and I continued on, getting more and more confident.

_**Christmas is here  
>Everywhere, oh<br>Christmas is here  
>If you care, oh<strong>_

_**If there is love in your heart and your mind  
>You will feel like Christmas all the time<strong>_

I took the microphone off the stand and started moving with the song, throwing my voice far out to the audience, mostly to Baron.

_**I feel you Christmas  
>I know I've found you<br>You never fade away  
>The joy of Christmas<br>Stays here inside us  
>Fills each and every heart with love<strong>_

_**Where are you Christmas  
>Fill your heart with love<strong>_

The song ended, and I finished with a confident smile. Loud applause echoed from the park all throughout the city. I smiled at this, and turned my attention back to Baron who had a rose in his hand, which he had thrown up onto the stage. I caught it quickly before making my way back off the stage. The man who had persuaded me to sing placed a hand on my shoulder, complimented me a few times, and went back out on stage.

"Now, only you, folks, can decide tonight's winner." He announced. "There is a voting booth by the entrance of the park. You may write the name of the act that you wish to vote for and place it in the box provided. We will announce the winner at the end of the event. Enjoy the rest of the night!" With that, music began to play, as people and couples began dancing around the court yard of the park. I cam around from the back of the stage and instantly got bombarded by Hiromi with hugs.

"That was AMAZING, Haru!" She exclaimed. "I never knew you could sing like that!" She went on and on with similar compliments. Finally, she let go, allowing me to catch my breath. I looked over to find Baron smiling directly at me.

"Haru…" He started. "I have heard many people throughout my entire life sing. You, Haru, truly sing like an angel." He grasped my hand tightly. I smiled at him before saying,

"Thank you, Baron. Coming from you, I really appreciate it." He nodded, before tucking my arm in the crook of his arm.

"Shall we dance?" He asked. I nodded before allowing him to lead me into the center of the courtyard to dance. When the music started, my ears perked up right away.

"Isn't this…?" I started. Baron only smirked in response. Scenes from the dance at the Cat Kingdom played through my mind as we dance around gracefully. It was much smoother of a dance since I had remembered the moves from before. The people around us turned into a crowd to watch us. I smiled as we continued to leisurely glide throughout the dance. My eyes never left his. He led me into the final position, with me leaning back and him holding me up. He stared into my eyes as we held that position. He smiled before leaning down, pressing his lips gently against my own. It lasted for only a few seconds, but I would never forget it. He pulled away, pulling me up with him.

"Folks!" We heard the man announce. "We have the results from the talent show! And it looks like the Majority vote is quite obvious." He looked directly at me, while I was still in Baron's arms. "Miss Haru Yoshioka!" he exclaimed. Once again, applause erupted throughout the park, as congratulations and compliments started flooding towards me. I smiled widely, as I went up on stage to accept the trophy that was provided for myself. We spent the rest of the night mingling with the other guests, before heading back to the Bureau.

When we entered through the white arch-way, we could feel ourselves shrinking in size once again. Muta was comfortably resting in his usual chair outside the bureau building. When he saw us coming, he got up and stretched, before walking over to us.

"So? How'd things go…" His voice trailed off when he noticed the trophy I was holding. I smirked. "Wow, kid. Didn't think you could win something like that." I rolled my eyes before turning to Baron.

"Is it ok if I stay for a while?" I asked. "My feet hurt a bit from walking back, and I want to take a little rest." He smiled and nodded.

"Of course you may, Haru." He said before leading me inside. "You may come inside too, Hiromi, if you like." Hiromi shook her head.

"No, I'd better get home." She said. "My Mom'll be worried sick if I don't get home soon." I realized I had forgotten something.

"Oh! Hiromi! Before you leave, I have something for you!" I said before running inside. I soon came back out with a small package. Her eyes beamed when she received it.

"Thank you, Haru!" She said, before giving me a hug. "See you all later! Merry Christmas!" She said before turning and leaving. We went inside after she had left, sat down, and waited for Baron and his famous tea. My mouth watered at the thought.

"Here you are, Haru." He said, handing me a cup of steaming hot tea. I sniffed the scent emitting from the cup, before taking a sip.

"Delicious…" I said with a dreamy smile. Baron chuckled beside me. Suddenly, I heard my phone in my purse playing that familiar holiday carol. I quickly searched for it in the bottom of the hand bag, before looking at the caller ID. "That's strange…it's an unknown number…" I thought out loud. I flipped it open, answering it with caution. "Hello?" I said.

"Hello?" the voice echoed. "Is this, by any chance, Haru Yoshioka? Daughter of Naoko Yoshioka?" They asked.

"It is." I replied. Baron looked at me, a bit of concern in his eyes.

"This is the American Airlines Airport, calling in reference to your mother's flight." She stated. My eyes grew a bit. "I'm calling to report that, at approximately 9:58 this evening, your mother's plane was caught in a snowstorm just off the coast of Tokyo. We haven't heard from the Captain yet since the incident, but we are working hard to find out what happened. We've just only recently sent officials to the area to do a complete search. I apologize greatly if anything were to happen to your Mother, dear." She explained all this with the most sincere voice as possible. I was speechless. Baron only looked at me, concern still filling his eyes. "Miss Haru? Are you still there?" The woman asked. I shook my head to bring myself back to reality.

"Y-yes…I'm here." I said. "Thank you for notifying me…" My voice trailed off, as I shut the phone slowly. I stared blankly at the floor, trying to think and process what I had just heard. Baron finally snapped me out of my head.

"Haru!" He exclaimed. He come over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?" He asked. My eyes filled with tears, as I dived into his chest, tears spilling from my eyes. He was confused, but comforted me as best as possible.

_"__Mom…please don't leave me…" _I thought to myself, as I continued to sob into Baron's now soaked shirt.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, thar ya have it. Hope you enjoyed. No flames please! I promise that the next chapter will be the last, and much happier! I promise! For now, R&amp;R, comment, and criticize! Ciao! ^_^<strong>_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Last Chapter! I'm sure of it! Lol. Hope you enjoyed so far. I know I've enjoyed writing it! ;) Enjoy the last chapter of 'Christmas Wonders'! ^_^**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing relating to Cat Returns.**_

* * *

><p>I fell asleep that night, face stained with tears, and in the arms of Baron. He had comforted me for about an hour that night. Within the vicinity of that hour, I had gathered up the courage to explain what I had been told, to only burst back into tears. We both eventually fell asleep on the couch that night. The next morning, I awoke to the sound of pots and pans shuffling in the kitchen. I forced myself to wake up as best as possible, and groggily got up off the couch. I stretched my body out a bit, before walking over to the kitchen area. I noticed Baron working around the stove.<p>

"Um…Good Morning, Baron." I said. I tried to force a smile as he turned around to look at me. He smiled at me.

"Good morning, Haru." He said, holding two plates in his hands. He placed them on the table. "Please, sit down." He gestured for me to sit down. I took my seat and looked over the plate of food in front of me. My eyes beamed at the dish. It was an omelet with a mixture of vegetables and slivers of ham inside it. A few pieces of bacon accompanied the side, with a cup of tea for a drink. My eyes beamed as I waited for Baron to take his seat. He sat down and smiled widely at me. "Bon Apatite, Haru." He said. I took a bite, and my eyes widened.

"Delicious…!" I quietly exclaimed. I continued on, savoring each and every bite as I ate. We sat in silence for most of the meal. I noticed Baron looking up from his food occasionally with a concerned look on his face. I noticed this right away, and smiled at him sadly. "Don't worry, Baron. I'll be fine. They said that they would be sending out a search squad to search the area. They could've landed safely and could be waiting for help. I won't give up hope…" my voice trailed off, as I was snapped into my thoughts of what could've happened. Baron frowned as he got up and walked over to me, taking my hand to help me to my feet. He embraced me lightly.

"If you won't give up hope, then neither shall I, Haru." He said. I smiled at his statement. We stayed like that for a while, before pulling away from each other. "Come. I have something I want to show you." He led me over to the living room and gestured for me to sit down in one of the chairs. He went away for a moment, and returned with something in his hands. "Close your eyes." He said with a smirk. I felt him do something around my neck. I felt a few shivers go down my spine as he did so. I heard him chuckle before he said, "Alright, open them." I opened my eyes, and looked down at my neck. A large, red ruby hung from my neck.

"Oh…Baron…!" I quietly exclaimed. I got up to get a better look in the mirror. "It's beautiful…" I examined it for a long time.

"It was originally Louise's. She left it for me when we were separated to remember her by. I want you to have it now. It's my Christmas Gift to you." He smiled softly at me. I returned it, before being embraced once more by him.

"Thank you, Baron." I said. Just then, the doors opened to reveal Muta stumbling in out of the cold.

"Morning, Baron. And…Haru?" He said. I chuckled at him.

"Good morning, Muta." I said. He looked at me, still puzzled.

"There's breakfast on the stove, Muta. Help yourself." Baron chimed in. Upon hearing this, Muta's ears perked up as he rushed out to the kitchen to fix himself a plate for himself. The top window of the Bureau opened, as Toto hopped in.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Baron." He said. He looked at me and smiled. "And, Haru!" I smiled back.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Toto." I returned. I looked over at Baron, who looked like he was thinking of something. "What's on your mind, Baron?" I asked. He looked at me and smirked.

"I was just thinking…" He started. "It is Christmas Eve, and this place is in dire need of some festive colors." My eyes widened in excitement. He motioned over towards a closet, and I ran over to it, scrounging around and pulling out all the decorations I could find. Baron mused at the sight. _"Maybe if she's doing something like this, it will keep her mind off of the matter at hand for a while, until the search team gets through with the search." _He thought to himself.

"Hey, Baron!" I exclaimed. "Where do you keep the Garland…?" I said, still rooting through the closet. He came over and helped me search. We spent the rest of the day decorating until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I looked around the room at the various wreaths and garland hanging from the walls, the many different lights hanging from the windows outside, and other various decorations. But, one key thing was missing… "A tree!" I exclaimed. Baron nodded, and went over to the coat rack to grab his jacket and top hat.

"We won't be long!" He exclaimed, as him and Muta went out to find a tree. Toto stayed behind with me to help me finish some last touch-ups to the room. Baron and Muta returned in no time with a perfect-sized tree.

"Where did you find such a small tree?" I asked.

"We went through the size-changing process while going through the arch. Apparently, an uncommon object going through the arch means it changes size. The tree did the same." Baron explained. I nodded in understanding, and went back to the closet to get the supplies to decorate the tree. We put various Christmas balls of all shapes, colors, and sizes all over the tree. Garland and lights accompanied these decorations, along with a few strands of tinsel. When all the decorations were on, I looked back in the closet.

"Baron…do you not have a star for on the top?" I asked. Baron looked over, a puzzled look spread across his face. He walked over and searched the various boxes. He thought long and hard, before walking upstairs. We heard his footsteps rush back downstairs and round the corner into the living room. He had a small box in his hands.

"I had forgotten I put it away in a special place. Here, Haru. Would you do the honors?" He handed the box to me. I opened it slowly to reveal a beautiful silver star. I went over to reach up and put it on top, to find I was a little too short. I felt a pair of hands lift me higher as I placed the star carefully on top. When I had realized who it was who had lifted me, I blushed a bit. Baron lowered me to the floor, and kept me in his arms as we admired the tree.

"It's truly beautiful…" I said. Baron nodded in agreement. I felt my eyes filling with tears. "I just wish my mom could be here…" I said. Despite this statement, however, I was still smiling. Baron smiled down at me.

"I'm sure she would love to be here with you." Baron said. "Keep up hope, Haru." He grasped my hand tightly. I smiled and nodded to him. We spent a lot of the night singing Christmas carols, sharing stories, and just spending quality time with each other. I looked up at the clock, which read 11:39 PM.

"Wow…is it truly that late?" I thought out loud. Baron nodded.

"Time sure does move fast when with friends." He said. I decided it was time to open presents. I got up and walked over to the tree. I picked up a few presents and walked back over to my dearest friends. I started with Muta. I handed him a small box. He greedily accepted it and opened it. He pulled out the collar and raised an eyebrow at it. I chuckled a bit.

"Why the awkward face, Muta? I even got your true name imprinted on it." I said. He perked up at this and looked closer at the fish pendant. It was true. There, the words _Renaldo Moon_ were imprinted neatly on the pendant. He smiled and happily put it on. I picked up another present and handed it to Toto. He happily accepted it, and started pecking at the wrapping paper. "Oh! Careful! You don't want to damage the gift." I said with a smile. He nodded and unwrapped it in a more gentle fashion. He pulled the scarf out and smiled widely.

"Oh, it's wonderful, Haru!" He said, wrapping the scarf around his neck. "Did you make this yourself?" He asked. I nodded in response.

"I'm glad you like it. Took me a while to make it the correct length and width, seeing as I didn't have you here to model for me." I said with a chuckle. I turned back to Baron. "Can't forget your present, Baron." I said with a smile. I went over and picked up a box, which he happily took. He was very precise while opening the package, and took special care as to not damage what could be inside. He unwrapped the box, and opened it. He stopped dead in his tracks, and stared into the box. He carefully reached in and pulled out a ceramic tea-pot large enough for a few cups of tea. It was white with an interesting design of lines and shapes.

"Haru…" He started. He smiled widely at me. "It's perfect, Haru. Thank you so very much." He said this, before giving me a peck on the cheek. I blushed a bit. There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" I exclaimed as I got up quickly to open the doors. I opened the doors slowly. "Hello-" My voice cut off immediately at what I saw. "M…Mom?" I managed to squeak out. She smiled sadly at me.

"Hiromi said you'd be here…Haru…" She said. I only replied by diving into her chest and sobbing with joy. Baron came up behind me and smiled at us both.

"I thought something terrible had happened when you didn't call! And when the airport called me, I feared the worse might've happened!" I rambled on and on about similar things. My mother just placed her hand over my mouth softly.

"It's ok, Haru." She said quietly. "Everything's alright now. And I see you've had plenty of fun here at the Bureau." She said with a smirk. "Hiromi explained everything. Don't worry, Baron." She turned to said cat figurine. "I can keep a secret. And I thank you for taking care of Haru. She has a good life here." I looked up at her.

"You mean…?" I started. She nodded.

"You may stay here, as long as you promise to finish school in the meantime." She requested. "And visit often." She smirked.

"But mom…what happened with the plane?" I asked. She smiled."It is true that the storm had wiped out the engines and we went down. But the pilot was able to land us safely on the coast of the island. We were lucky. No one has ever been able to survive a storm at that level." She explained. We talked for a while longer, about how her meeting went, and how she wasn't going over-seas for a LONG TIME. We looked up at the clock which read 11:55. "Well, I'd better get home. Merry Christmas, everybody."

"And, a Merry Christmas to you. We are so happy you made it out of that ordeal unscathed." Baron said. I nodded in agreement. My mom nodded. We exchanged hugs once more before walking her outside, and watched her walk through the archway, grow in size, and round the corner. I looked over at Baron, who was searching the sky for something.

"What are you looking for, Baron?" I asked him.

"Every year, I always search for the Christmas Star. It shines the brightest at Midnight." He reminded me. I smiled, before searching as well. We heard the clock inside the bureau strike twelve, and noticed a bright light illuminating the sky. We both stared in awe as the North Star showed itself, brighter than it's ever been before. Baron reached over and grasped my hand tightly. It kept getting brighter and brighter. It went on for about 5 minutes. We watched as the star brightened and dimmed a few times, and then disappear as quickly as it came.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." I said.

"Christmas truly has it's wonders." Baron said in agreement. We noticed snow starting to fall from the sky. I twirled around a bit in it, before Baron walked over and held his hand out, bowing to me in the process. "May I have this dance?" He asked stoically. I smiled, taking his hand.

"Of course you may, fine sir." I said. And with that, we danced around the courtyard in the wonderful snow that was falling around us. I found myself stating,

"Christmas truly does have it's wonders." I smiled widely, and danced through the night in the arms of the one I truly love most in the world.

* * *

><p><em><strong>There ya have it! Whew, finally done…I know that Haru's mom's part was a little corny…but I couldn't come up with much. I wasn't intending for her to die, honestly. I just couldn't find a good way to state her coming back. Hope you at least enjoyed the fluffiness! R&amp;R, comment, and criticize. And, from me to you, may the wonders of Christmas show themselves to all who truly believe in the wonders of Christmas. Everyone, have a wonderful and heart-felt Christmas! Merri Kurisumasu! ^_^<strong>_


End file.
